1 - Southampton Spitfires B

W: 7

D: 0

L: 2

GF: 83

GA: 17

GD: +66

PP%: 20.0

PK%: 84.6

Pts: Baker (25)

G: Gillbe (17)

A: Bojenko (15)

SAV%: Postle (0.90)

Playoff runners up find themselves as favourites in Tier 3 with they Playoff winning Bears C having a crack at checking. With players like Gillbe, Baker and Bojenko they have scoring talent in spades throughout their side and will no doubt travelling back South in the wee hours of Easter Monday when all is said and done.

2 - Sheffield Bears D

W: 5

D: 2

L: 2

GF: 39

GA: 26

GD: +13

PP%: 11.1

PK%: 100.0

Pts: Gaskell (12)

G: Gaskell (8)

A: Gough (5)

SAV%: Parker (0.91)

Straight from left field with this pick as I put the Bears D in second place. The one thing about the Bears franchise at Nationals is that you are never quite sure as to what players will end up on what team. It could be some of the C team wind up with the squad and bolster their chances. One thing is for sure with the home town advantage and a banterless megaphone on your side great things can happen.

3 - Nottingham Mavericks C

W: 6

D: 0

L: 4

GF: 140

GA: 43

GD: +97

PP%: 29.2

PK%: 85.7

Pts: Klajnscek (37)

G: Klajnscek (30)

A: Wheeler (15)

SAV%: Balcová (1.00)

The Mavs can be proud of their efforts in non-checking this season with their D team picking up the spoils in Tier V. The C team comes into Nationals as second best in the North and based on the seven uploaded game sheets have a goal difference at a modest +116 (modest compared to Bear C's +123). With 3 players in the top ten of scoring this teams should do alright.

4 - London Dragons B

W: 6

D: 0

L: 2

GF: 53

GA: 30

GD: +23

PP%: 18.8

PK%: 95.8

Pts: Rusdale (18)

G: Rusdale (12)

A: Rusdale (6)

SAV%: Chan (0.93)

Word on the street is that the 'Father of Dragons' Kalle will be in attendance in the second weekend of 2017 Nationals... Have we ever seen a London team play badly when he is around?
London's only losses on the year come at the hands of the division topping Spitfires, so I expect them to be quite the handful this year.

5 - UCL Yetis B

W: 5

D: 1

L: 3

GF: 51

GA: 32

GD: +19

PP%: 20.0

PK%: 88.5

Pts: Yolland (12)

G: Reilly (9)

A: Yolland (4)

SAV%: Tree (0.93)

Only four division 1 non-checking teams come into nationals with apositive goal difference and the Yetis B sit as the lowest ranked among them with a respectable, but uninspired win/loss record. While their have been suggestions of their A team being snowed in my understanding is the B's are raring to go and could be a surprise package on the weekend.

6 - Oxford Vikings

W: 0

D: 0

L: 8

GF: 1

GA: 96

GD: -95

PP%: 0.0

PK%: 100.0

Pts: Stone (1)

G: Stone (1)

A: Budgell (0)

SAV%: Flammer (0.65)

The Vikings had a fairly ugly experience in the checking ranks this year and after being some real one sided matches made a sensible choice for all involved. Despite this the Vikings are definitely good for a sixth placed spot on the rankings. They will combine their Division 2 team with some of the best women hockey players in the BUIHA and will be a formidable opponent to all who face them. The only issue for them is they find themselves in the group of death with three teams ranked above them.

7 - Birmingham Lions B

W: 2

D: 1

L: 6

GF: 29

GA: 53

GD: -24

PP%: 10.0

PK%: 88.9

Pts: Lau (12)

G: Lau (8)

A: Speakman (4)

SAV%: Barron (0.82)

Despite only one win on the year the Lions B have kept most scorelines fairly reasonable with no more than 9 goals conceded in any one game. The Lions as whole seem to struggle in Sheffield whether it be with a phantom goal being conceded or bad bounce, so I thik seventh is a fair assessment of their prospects.

8 - Newcastle Wildcats B

W: 4

D: 0

L: 4

GF: 32

GA: 95

GD: -63

PP%: 7.1

PK%: 38.5

Pts: Gunn (18)

G: Gunn (12)

A: Gubbins (7)

SAV%: Holstovs (0.82)

Despite having a 50% winning percentage the Newcastle Wildcats B have been on the bad side of some tankings this year with 95 goals coming in to Nationals with their last game being a 28-0 tanking at the hands of the Bears C. I suppose you do not take a Cat to a Bear fight, but hopefully the Wildcats B take some kind of defensive structure to a hockey tournament this year.

9 - Hull Ice Hogs B

W: 0

D: 0

L: 8

GF: 11

GA: 150

GD: -139

PP%: 85.7

PK%: 100.0

Pts: Jones (4)

G: Gilbert (4)

A: Jones (3)

SAV%: Harry (0.74)

The team with the worst record at this level do not have the worst ranking purely on the basis that they are not in Manchester's predictament of being in the pool of death, but on paper they have no chance and should be the whipping boys (and girls) in this group and I say that purely because my smoked bacon jokes are getting really old.

10 - Manchester Metrostars B

W: 2

D: 0

L: 6

GF: 39

GA: 76

GD: -37

PP%: 0.0

PK%: 45.5

Pts: Turner (12)

G: Egorov (8)

A: MacKinnon (5)

SAV%: Deakin (0.80)

Metrostars are name after the local train right? Well this team find themselves without a ticket to the business class part of Nationals. In the group of death, 0% on the powerplay on the year, less than 50% on the penalty kill and a - 37 goal difference... this team might be better named the Tanks.